ΕΑΝ ΠΡΟΤΙΜΑΤΕ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΠΑΤΗΣΤΕ ΤΗ ΣΗΜΑΙΑ ΣΤΟ ΚΑΤΩ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΘΟΝΗΣ
OUR MAIN IMAGE (artistic rendition): There may also be a more secular, worldly explanation for their deference to the Pope. Why doesn’t the Phanar disclose how much financial support it has received from the Vatican each year over the past three decades?
The heretic leadership of GOA invites the Catholics to one more joint prayer on April 3rd at St. Nicholas WTC… Don’t they see they have lost close to 400,000 members over the last 20 years?
By Nick Stamatakis
The unrepentant heretics governing GOARCH proceeded to one more “gesture” towards union with the Catholics… Here is what Saint Nicholas WTC wrote on instagram two days ago:…
“…stnicholaswtc On April 3rd, our Catholic brothers and sisters will prayerfully walk the Stations of the Cross in observance of their Holy Friday. We look forward to joining them at their final station at Saint Nicholas for a beautiful interfaith prayer service outside the church. Presided over by His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. This is a meaningful moment to come together, honor one another’s faith traditions, and stand united in prayer. In a world that often focuses on differences, this is a quiet reminder of what we share, faith, reverence, and love. Swipe for event details, and please JOIN US!”
The bones of St. Mark of Ephesus will groan in his grave, as the heretics discard his faithful efforts as rubbish…
This is not unity – it is confusion. As even critics have pointed out in recent commentary and video reactions, this is not an isolated incident but part of a growing pattern of shared prayer services with non-Orthodox at a shrine explicitly promoted as a “house of prayer for all people.”
1. No Bishop Has Authority to “Unite” the Church
The Orthodox Church does not function by personal authority. No Archbishop—no matter how prominent—can advance unity with Rome through symbolic acts. Such matters belong only to a pan-Orthodox synod that expresses the will of the entire Church.
Anything less is not unity. It is unilateral innovation.
2. The Schism Still Exists
The East–West Schism was not healed. Its core issues remain:
- The Filioque
- Papal supremacy
- Doctrinal developments unknown to the early Church
None have been resolved. Acting as though they have is historically and theologically false.
3. Papal Infallibility vs. Orthodoxy
The doctrine of Papal Infallibility stands in direct opposition to Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy confesses truth through the whole Church, not through one bishop elevated above all others. This is not a minor disagreement. It is a fundamental contradiction.
Heretics Bartholomew and Hope-less Elpidoktonos cannot decide authoritatively on such issues!! Even theologically speaking, they are less than acceptably educated – should we remember what the Archbishop’s University Professor in Greece said publicly about his “theological skills” a few years ago?
4. Why Pray Together Without Unity in Faith?
Prayer expresses unity. That is precisely why the Orthodox canons forbid joint prayer with those outside the Church. Not out of hostility – but to preserve clarity in the faith. So the question becomes unavoidable:
If there is no unity in doctrine, what exactly is being expressed in shared prayer?
Conclusion
The desire for unity is good. But Orthodoxy has always insisted on the right order:
First unity in faith – then unity in prayer.
Reversing that order does not bring Christians closer together.
It risks eroding the very truth on which unity must be built.
Finally, lest we forget who the “leaders” are we dealing with, will anyone from the Phanar dare tell us how much money they have received annually over the last three decades from the Vatican? Crickets…
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THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT A COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN ORTHODOXY AND CATHOLICISM, PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO
March 27, 2026, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
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And the provocations continue… what do the words “nor will i give you a kiss, as did Judas” mean to these “hierarchs” who dress themselves in sheepskins?
The photo is sickening. The situation is tragic.
Saint Ephraim of Katanoukaia:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVtBLg7Afmw/?igsh=ZWZjZ2todGdlOGR1
The lure of the Pope is too great for many to bear. Over the years I have witnessed with great sadness both Orthodox clergy and laymen leaving the Orthodox faith and joining Rome. Interestingly, these were even people that many would have previously characterized as “super-Orthodox”. However, in my interactions with them, I had also noted that they had become highly critical of Patriarch Bartholomew. It’s as if their rejection of the Ecumenical Patriarchate eventually led them to leave the church.
Joseph – I have never heard anything like that… If someone is “disenchanted” with Bartholomew, to use the mildest term around, the number one reason would Bartholomew’s Papism… Why would then this person become a Catholic? Are you fibbing?
I haven’t heard anything like that, either. Joseph is always fabricating things. Real Christian orthodox will never leave the OC to join the catholic denomination because they are “disenchanted” with Bartholomew. The majority of those leaving because of Barto’s scandals end up joining the ROCOR, OCA, or any other OC, which is the correct thing to do.
No, not fibbing. I could list names of both clergy and laymen, but that wouldn’t be fair to them.
The thing is, if you take the Ecumenical Patriarchate out of ecclesiology, then Orthodox ecclesiology begins to fall apart. This “falling apart” is already happening within the Russian Church, and so it entirely makes sense to me that the clergy and laymen I refer to were formerly within the Russian tradition before they apostatized.
If we take the corrupt Phanar out of the equation everything will start to look better. Already many Greeks have moved to ROCOR and more will soon.
Joseph, you live in a fantasy world. No one wants to join the corrupt turkish patriarch, even when violence is applied through his well paid hoolligans. Yes he stole churches in Ukraine, but they stay empty, no one is joining him or the catholics or uniates there. So even in Ukraine, he has almost no followers–just empty churches. This is his idea of an “ecumenical way”, to just give our churches away. Yes he may steal the churches but he won’t steal our faith or our hearts. We want to live orthodox and die orthodox. He is hitting the UOC very hard but he will lose and in the end he will go in history as a disgraced and forgotten patriarch, just like many did before him. Our churches should stay orthodox, we do not want to sell out Christ!
https://spzh.eu/en/news/92134-in-sofia-uniates-and-catholics-hold-ecumenical-way-of-the-cross
Just GROSS 🤮 looking at photo of Orthodox clergy kissing up to a Pope. Saint Paisios is weeping from heaven – but he saw this heresy coming + nobody believed it.
It’s an artistic creation – but I think it depicts reality quite faithfully.
No one seems to have considered: if this “unity” takes place, whose post-schism saints will be venerated, and whose will be discarded? In other words, what happens to St Mark of Ephesus? Rome calls him a heretic, we call him a saint, so how are we going to decide this – coin toss?!
I think every one should read these books to learn more about this issue:
Great Schism by Saint Nektarios and his book on the ecumenical councils
The two voulmes by saint hilarion on the church published by ump
Orthodox faith and life in Christ by Saint Justin popovich
Revelation by elder Athansios militanios
against all heresies by saint Simeon
Also learn the cannons of the church if you can and learn orthodox theolgoy in general esspecilly Ecclesiology. If you want to start learning the theology of the church begin with catehctical books such as saint Cyril of Jeruslem and Catehcism by saint nektarios and later read the Orthodox dogmatic theology by father micheal, After you should go to the cappodocians and saint John damascus on the orthodox faith.
http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/sorrow.aspx http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/ecum_canons.aspx
“Attend closely to the catechisings… For you are receiving armour against the adverse power, armour against heresies… you have many enemies… you have need to learn how to strike down the Greek, how to contend against heretic, against Jew and Samaritan.” -Saint Cyril of Jersulem.
Pleeeese, don’t assume you are the only one reading books. Since you bring up Saint Justin Popovich, maybe you should read his book about Ecumenism and maybe then you will stop defending the turkish patriarch who is clearly practicing this heresy. If you did read this book and you are still pro union with Rome, you clearly don’t understand what you are reading, no matter what saint you read, and perhaps you are in the category of people that read one thing and understand another, like those new “theologians” that are quoting the Church fathers but misunderstand their teachings and misrepresent what they say.
I just wanted to suggest these books beacuse I am against union with Rome and ecumenism and in general and I wish for people to learn about the beauty and truth of the dogmas of our church. I think you mistaking me for a different Joseph that comments on these articles.
Oh, Joseph. I am so sorry! You are right, I did mistake you for the other Joseph! My apologies!
No worries.
JOSEPH, I’ve heard it so many times, on this blog and others, “If I wanted to be under a Pope, then I would simply join Rome”.
It has been the accusation of the Moscow Patriarchate, probably for at least the last 20 years or so, that Constantinople is papalist. However, as is often the case, those who accuse others of something are often guilty of the same. Indeed, the Moscow Patriarchate has become papalist themselves, with a global ecclesial presence on every continent on earth, even in Istanbul. The Patriarch of Moscow also makes strange declarations, about how soldiers who fight for Russia will have their sins forgiven, and approving of a “Holy War” against Ukraine and the West. Not to mention that all of the Moscow churches and clergy everywhere on earth are required to break communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Thus the conclusion of many is that the Russian Church has actually become a third Rome, and the Patriarch of Russia is actually a Pope. I suspect that is why some have recently given up on Orthodoxy and joined with Rome.
I don’t think anyone doubts the papalist tendencies of the “Third Rome”. But at this particular juncture, with the “First Rome” and the “Second Rome” blessing homosexuality and adopting globalist principles (in essence demolishing the Christian Faith), there are many ways we could justify the Russian fight as a “Holy War”. A true fight for the Christian Faith.
How is the third Rome Papist?
The first Rome fell to heresy. The second Rome to the Turks. Moscow is still technically the largest and perhaps only free Orthodox capital in the world.
Moscow’s position politically is the same as that of Constantinople one thousand years ago. One can disagree with many of the statements Patriarch Kyril has made about the war but they are not heretical. Russia is largely threatened by the west largely because it is a bastion of Christianity that refuses to accept either the morally depraved social policies of the west or to permit the west to politicize and carve up the Orthodox
Church.
If one goes back 1,500 will find many statements identical or even more polemical from Byzantine Patriarchs blessing the Emperor and his Army. Until today when Bartholomew blessed the Turkish Army invading Syria!!! How can anyone beat Bartholomew’s “achievement”?
Very well, said, Theodoros. FWTI, every old world patriarch has transcontinental jurisdictions as we as Moscow.
Therefore I cannot fault Bartholomew for gathering the other patriarchs and setting up regional episcopal assemblies. (I choose to be charitable and not impugn his intentions at this point.)
Theodoros, you get things mixed up about Rome. It was the original Roman Empire with her capital based in Constantinople that fell to the Turks in 1453AD. It was the Second Rome, designated as the “Holy Roman Empire” by Charlemagne in 800AD, that fell to heresy in 1054AD.
The third Rome in Moscow is now acting very similar to the historical pattern of the Second Rome, breaking off communion with Constantinople and now even supporting a “Holy War” crusade that will likely result in Russia’s destruction of Istanbul (as prophesied).
The fact that the Moscow Patriarchate claims the largest numbers of adherents in Orthodoxy (110 million?) is also akin to how the Vatican claims to be the largest Christian denomination in the world with over one billion members.
Orthodox ecclesiology isn’t based on a herd mentality though, and it isn’t based on who has more political freedom either. However, if it was based on either or both of those, then I could see why people would join with the Vatican.
I see a lot of catholics joining the OC, so maybe some “people” joined the vatican, but the numbers of catholics that join the OC is far greater than the number of orthodox leaving the OC for the vatican. Those leaving don’t understand their own faith, otherwise they would not leave to join a denomination full of heresies.
I can see how Barto and Elpi’s actions toward the other local orthodox churches will make people feel they are not in the right church, since the “leaders” are behaving so badly towards the other local OCs, unjustly accusing them that they are under Moscow influence. I left churches under Barto and Elpi too, and it is not because I am under Moscow influence. It is because I do not like schisms and the 2 of them are schism creators and persecutors of the canonical OC, not to mention they lie about the other local churches. It is hard to love those 2, since they are insulting most the canonical OC faithful, by their actions and statements. They are not a model of what an OC person should behave like.
Joseph,
Have to disagree. Constantinople was new Rome, the capital of Constantinople. Constantinople was the second Rome when Constantine moved his capital to the city named after himself.
Moscow as third Rome follows the original Rome and New Rome called Constantinople. I disagree with statements Patriarch Kyril made such as Russian soldiers are martyrs but otherwise Moscow is fine
It is Constantinople that is following old Rome by its Patriarch claiming to be “first without equals” and claiming all local Churhes being subject to him. Moscow was justified in breaking communion. Moscow alone is not afraid of Constantinople which strengthens its claims.
Joseph,
I think the wisest postion is not to “take sides’ and say “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas”, but to follow the faith and doctrines laid out by the apostles and preserved by the holy fathers of old and the fathers of today. Our church is not centered around any patiarch be it moscow or constantiople but the head of the church is christ and if either falls away from the truth then they can be cut off and their “lampstand” would be removed as revelation tells us when a church falls away. Saint Greogry the bishop of Rome expresses what the desire to rule means: “I say it without the least hesitation, whoever calls himself the universal bishop, or desires this title, is, by his pride, the precursor of Antichrist, because he thus attempts to raise himself above the others.” and further he says “Certainly Peter, the first of the apostles, himself a member of the holy and universal Church, Paul, Andrew, John, — what were they but heads of particular communities? And yet all were members under one Head.” See the wisdom of the saint the head is not “peter” or “Andrew” or “John” but the head is Christ. So What I’m trying to say is that mosocw or constantiople can fall away and we shouldnt put our faith in them and have a factionalist mindset but we should deffend the true orthodox faith given to us by Christ. I do think that constantiople lusts for power and control that christ did not give and that its lampstand may be removed if it counties on this path and divides the church. And Moscow has some Ecumenistic tendencies. The church is not moscow or constantiople but is catholic with many communties under one head Christ when a church falls away from the saving doctrines as saint cyril of jeruslem calls them then that church is cut off, as what happend to the court of Rome and the west at large and the middle eastern coptic communties.
JOSEPH, apostolic succession is nonetheless an important part of Orthodox ecclesiology as we don’t abide by the “Jesus and Me” ecclesiology of Protestants. However, apostolic succession is just one aspect of Orthodox ecclesiology, and by itself is actually worthless. As Christ said, “and think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
St. Nicholas Cabasilas wrote that there are three aspects of the unity of the Church: the bishop, the altar, and the saints. Neither of these is more important than the other. The bishop needs the altar and the saints, the altar needs the bishop and the saints, and the grace of the saints exists and is made manifest only through the living witness of the bishop and the altar. If any one of these three is deemed more important than the other, then there is an imbalance, and unity of the Church suffers.
Joseph,
I made not comments on apostolic succession all bishops sit in the seat of Peter and are his successor and the successors of the apostles according to Saint Cyprian of Carthage . I was just warning against factionalism. Forgive me but I don’t see how this is relevant to my post.